Since attending the University of Kansas in the late ’80s, actor Paul Rudd has gone on to have a successful career in Hollywood, with roles in the television series Friends, the cult classic Wet Hot American Summer, and blockbusters like Clueless, Anchorman and Knocked Up.

Rudd grew up in Overland Park, where he graduated from Shawnee Mission West High School in 1987. He studied theater at the University, and later attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles.

Rudd took some time off from promoting his latest film, Role Models, to chat with the magazine of his alma mater.

Q: You attended the University of Kansas for two years. What were you like in college?

A: I had really long hair. I was a big INXS fan when I was in high school, and I was like, ‘Oh man, long hair is so sweet.’ It was terrible, looking back now, but it was kind of the look of the time. And then I had a jean jacket with a Patrick Nagel painting on the back. It was just full-on cheeseball mode. I’m pretty sure the jacket was acid-washed. I definitely had my own look. It wasn’t good, but it was my own.

Q: You used to DJ at bar mitzvahs before you got into acting. Did you have any other odd jobs before breaking into the business?

A: Before I moved to California to go to school, I was trying to save up money to move out there, so I got a job glazing ham. It was really crappy. It’s a serious process. It’s way more intense than I thought it would be. There were big torches that came down from the ceiling, and I had to put on protective gear and sprinkle sugar on top of the ham. It looked like I was working in a laboratory. And then I reeked of ham every day.

Q: Most of the movies you’ve done have been comedies. Do you ever want to do dramatic roles?

A: I tend not to think in terms of comedy and drama. I think the most effective dramas have elements of comedy. And a really good comedy should have drama to it as well, unless you’re doing something like Wet Hot American Summer or Anchorman, which is really just kind of a cartoon. I would like to do more dramatic roles. I have in the past. I tend to do more dramatic stuff in theater. But I also don’t have the pressing need to say, ‘I’m doing drama next. I really want to shake things up.’ I want to be able to enjoy the experience, and I really have enjoyed working on the comedies.

Q: In Role Models, you worked with 12-year-old Bobb’e J. Thompson. Did working with a child actor change the filmmaking process?

A: It was totally different in ways that I had never experienced. Kids have to work shorter days because they are underage. We also had him saying some really filthy stuff. It was really funny to write it and think, ‘Oh, it’s going to be so funny that a kid is going to say this.’ Then when we were shooting, we realized, ‘Oh my God, a kid is going to say this.’ It had to be approved by his mom, and then Child Protective Services also had to approve it. It had to go through a whole procedure that it normally never has to. And we would leave sections open to improvise stuff, and a lot of improvisation gets really filthy. We couldn’t do any of that with him. You always have to be aware of what you can and can’t say. It was different, but nothing that was unmanageable.

Q: Do you think you are a role model?

A: Oh man, I don’t know. I just hope to be and try to be one for my own kid. That’s all I can hope to do. I try to do that by showing him that you can enjoy your life and be nice to people.

Q: With Role Models, you stepped into a lead role. Do you want to continue doing lead roles in the future?

A: I never think in terms of lead parts or supporting parts. It didn’t feel any different. The only thing I worry about is the actual character—what the character is going through, if it’s fun and challenging to play, and how it fits into the story. I’d rather have one or two scenes in something I think is really cool than a lead role in something that sucks.

Q: You’ve been in some really big movies. Do you find it more difficult to go about your daily life now that you’re more in the spotlight?

A: It’s not hard. I live my life like I always have. I think I get more looks than I used to, but I’m not the type of guy who is going to have paparazzi following me around. I feel surprised that anyone even knows who I am.

Q: You’ve had a pretty busy month, releasing Role Models and hosting Saturday Night Live a few weeks ago. What do you do to relax?

A: Well, one of the great things about the holidays is that you are forced to not work. But it’s important to force myself to not do anything—just to spend time with my family and chill out. I play cards every week with the same group of guys, and the routine of that is really great. You need that kind of male camaraderie—just total dick-around time where you are just making jokes at everybody’s expense and laughing and having some beers. I really treasure those nights.

Q: Have you achieved your goals as an actor, or do you have further aspirations?

A: I haven’t fulfilled my goals, and they are always evolving. When I feel like I do, I’m sure I won’t do it anymore. And maybe that will happen. But I really feel lucky that I love what I do. I know the majority of the people in the world can’t say that. I feel pretty fortunate, and I hope to sustain a life—not just a career—in which I’m doing things that I like and that have meaning to me.